No one expected THIS Inquisition
by Ratjay
Summary: A retelling of DA:I with Mera Lavellan, and her falling in love with her two partners Josephine and The Iron Bull. Some canon bending involved. Currently rated T but rating maybe bumped up in later chapter. Josephine X Inquisitor X Bull will be introduced as the story continues.


Mera Lavellan slipped through with mages on the way into the Conclave, with her scarf wrapped in a way to hide her vallaslin from any prying eyes. She did expect some problems should some Dalish mage with no ties to the rebellion show up. It made her nervous, like she was dealing with dangerous magic with her Keeper. It was _exciting_. Mostly because of the heavily armored warriors who she knew were templars.

She knew she wasn't alone in that respect. Multiple young mages, most of them barely teenagers, whispered quietly around her, stealing glances towards the templars. It was a consistent background noise as Mera tried to focus on the arguing of what seemed like leaders of the two groups.

Eventually it got too much for her and she slipped out into the hall. A headache was forming and she padded down the halls, trying to find some quiet place. The elf found it in a hall off to the side and sat against the wall, with her scarf falling back off her face. No one was around after all, so it didn't hurt anything.

The peace didn't last long however. Soon she heard a cry for help, and she scrabbled up to her feet. It had came from down the hall and as she ran. Then, the conclave was gone and instead everything was dark, green even. Yet it was familiar to her, as though it was some place she knew. Mera glanced around and took a few steps before the sound of skittering came from behind her.

A quick look behind her told her all she needed to know and she took off towards a glowing figure and away from the eight legged monsters behind her. The noise got louder as she ran. She got more desperate. Then the small woman stumbled, falling just a few yards from the glowing figure. Mera could now at least identify the other was a woman as she reached for her.

With a flash of light she fell to the ground, and as her vision faded, she saw the glint of a blade.

She let out like a slight cry as a green light enveloped her hand, making pain shoot up through her arm. Mera looked it over for a split second before fully realizing her situation. Around her were humans, glaring as their swords were pointed at her in a prison, with only a few torches that barely penetrated the darkness. Though she doubted that she was going to be able to do anything to the soldiers even if she wanted to. Her hands were held in iron cuffs and she was kneeling on the ground.

For a split second, the only thought in her mind was finding her staff and trying to get out. That idea left as quickly as it came with the door swinging open. Her eyes darted up in time to spy two women come in, with one circling around her. She turned slightly trying to get a good look at her, but froze as she heard a voice at her ear.

"Tell me why we shouldn't kill you now," the woman threatened. Before Mera could say a word, the woman circled in front of her and continued, "The Conclave is destroyed, and everyone who attended is dead. Except for you."

Mera's eyes darted between the pair now standing in front of her. What had happened? What had destroyed the Conclave, and how was she alive? Her answer wasn't fast enough and the woman doing all the talking grabbed the hand that had glowed just seconds before and held it up in front of Mera's face, just as it sparked back to life.

"Explain this," she hissed, before shoving her hand back down. It was an order. She had to answer.

"I...can't," Mera admitted, looking up at her captor with pleading eyes.

That wasn't the answer the woman wanted, and as she paced in and out of Mera's field of vision she snapped, "What do you mean you _can't?_ "

"I don't know what that is, or how it got there," She stammered out, not wanting any more than to just run back to her clan.

"You're lying!" Came the answer, the woman's face now right in her own.

For a split second, she feared that the sword at the other's hip would be at her throat. That moment never came and the second of the original two women grabbed the first, dragging her back from Mera. She let out a shaky breath, as the pair looked back at her.

"Are...all those people really dead?" Mera said softly, staring at the floor. "I can't believe it."

The second woman didn't answer her question but said, "Do you remember what happened? How this began?"

"I was running, and...things were chasing me. And a woman," She offered up quickly. Maybe it would save her from execution.

"A woman?" The second woman repeated, frowning.

Mera nodded then answered, "She reached to me and then...here."

The aggressive one let out an annoyed sigh and walked closer to the other, as though to hide what she was going to say, "Go to the forward camp, Leliana. I will take her to the rift."

The one, Leliana, gave a curt nod and left as the other kneeled in front of her, undoing the cuffs. Mera stared at the other's working hands, wondering if she should ask what was nagging in her mind. As the cuffs fell to the ground, she gained the nerve.

"What did happen?"

Her captor didn't answer for a few seconds, instead focusing on binding her hands together before helping her up. The woman gave her an almost desperate look before the answer.

"It..would be easier to tell you."

Mera was lead outside, one of the soldiers holding the door for the pair. He nodded to them, greeting the one leading her by name. The elf blinked and furrowed her brow, trying to make anything out against the bright light. That was when she saw it. The sky and the hole with green light pouring out. The elf didn't know what it was. She doubted the shemlen knew, but still looked to the other for an explanation, for something. Anything.

"We call it the Breach," She said, watching it. "It's a massive rift into the world of demons that grows larger with each passing hour." Mera saw the other's shoulders fall slightly as she turned to look at her as she continued, "It's not the only such rift, just the largest. All were caused by the explosion at the Conclave."

"An explosion can't do that, can it?" She breathed, staring into it before her eyes darted to the woman before them.

"This one did," Cassandra answered, everything about her just made Mera more nervous. "And unless we act, the breach may grow until it swallows the world."

She turned away from Mera as a crack was heard. Mera's eyes darted up to the Breach before the hand with that mark reacted. Her arms raised up, it glowed and pulsed, pain shooting through her arm. Her legs gave out and she fell to the snowy ground. Everything hurt as she curled up as best as she could; her eyes closed to try and block out the pain. By the dread wolf what was happening to her? Cassandra rushed to her and fell to her knee in front of her. Mera half expected the human to help her up. That was wishful thinking.

"Each time the Breach spreads, your mark spreads," She said, pointing between the two before dropping that bomb. "And it is killing you. It _may_ be the key to stopping this but there isn't much time."

Mera's eyes darted between Cassandra and the Breach before nodding and saying, "I'll do what I can. Whatever it takes."

That help up finally came and she was lead through the town. Haven, she thought the name was. An ironic name considering the glares. This place was no haven. It was a prison where she was guilty. She knew before Cassandra told her such, that they needed it.

"The people of Haven mourn our most holy, Divine Justinia, head of the chantry," She said, as though that excused it. The woman frowned, sadness dripping into her voice as she continued, "The conclave was hers; it was a chance for peace between mages and templars!"

Mera stayed quiet as they walked through the town and out into the forested area ahead. A part of her questioned if the keeper had any idea the trouble she was being sent into, if this human was going to kill her if this doesn't work. Was her death all that waited?

"She brought their leaders together and now they're _dead,_ " the other kept on, almost as though she was accusing Mera of doing such still.

The gate to Mythal knows what was opened by soldiers the same accusing look on their face as the people in Haven as they walked. Cassandra kept on talking as they walked. It just sounded like the buzz from those young mages to her. Those mages who were dead. A hand broke her from her thoughts and Cassandra pulled out a knife. Her eyes widened and her lips formed a silent prayer to whoever would hear it.

"There will be a trial, I can promise no more," She said, jerking Mera's arms up to cut the rope binding her wrists together. "Come, it is not far."

Mera glanced at the other as she rubbed her wrists. She was thankful that her fear hadn't come true. Yet. But what was 'it'?

"Where are you taking me?"

The woman stopped, glancing back at her to answer with, "Your mark must be tested on something smaller than the Breach."

Mera nodded and followed the other as they walked the stone bridge. Cassandra called out to one of the soldiers and the gate on the other side opened up. What was the point of all these gates? The water below was frozen, and she knew from crossing it herself on the way to the Conclave that it would hold a person. And it rarely was above freezing up here.

The pair kept walking, soldiers hiding behind blockades ahead of them. They were afraid. She was afraid. Mera doubted anyone on their way to their next place wasn't afraid. And as someone cried that it was the end when they ran past them in the opposite way, that thought was confirmed. This probably was the end.


End file.
